Cover forming apparatus



Nov. 19, 1940. B. K. FORD 2,222,288

COVER FORMING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ByB. K. FORD '\R\7 W/QM ATTORNEY Search rioorw uu. LA! ILth. KNH HNU.

Nov. 19, 1940. B. K. FORD COVER FORMING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledOct. 6, 1938 FIG. 4

INVENTOR B. K. FORD .4 7' TOR/VEY Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES\JUQI bll PATENT OFFICE Electric Company,

Incorporated, New York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 6, 1938, Serial No.233,544

17 Claims.

This invention relates to cover forming apparatus, and more particularlyto apparatus for covering non-circular cores.

In some phases of the electrical art it has been found advantageous toemploy non-circular conductors or cables the shapes of which varydepending upon their particular use. Such conductors are frequentlyprovided with insulating coverings of textile cotton threads and thevario ous shapes present their particular problems regarding the uniformapplication of the coverings thereon.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for eflicientlyand uniformly covering non-circular cores. With this and other objectsin view, the invention comprises a knitting apparatus having astationary needle bed centrally apertured for the passage of anon-circular core therethrough and grooved to receive needlesreciprocated by fluid actuating pistons disposed in a stationarycylinder block associated with a fluid controlling element, the latterbeing rotatable with supports for cops supplying threads to the needles.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Fig. l is a front elevational view of the apparatus, aportion thereof being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along theline 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detailed view illustrating the general structureof the. fluid controlling element;

Fig. 4 is a plane development showing a pattern of the knitted structuremade with the apparatus, and

Fig. 5 illustrates another type of non-circular core which may becovered.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly Fig. l, the apparatuscomprises a stationary support or frame l centrally apertured and havinga cylindrical portion ll integral therewith and extending verticallytherefrom. Disposed in the cylindrical portion H is a sleeve l2 threadedat its lower end to receive a nut I3 for securing the sleeve againstrotation in the frame Ill. The upper portion of the sleeve has anoutwardly projecting annular portion I which rests upon the upper end ofthe cylindrical portion H and cooperates in the securing of the sleeveto the frame. The central aperture of the sleeve i2 may be of anydesired contour to receive a needle bed IS, the contour of the needlebed, the inner aperture thereof, and the inner aperture of the sleeve,in this embodiment of the invention, being somewhat oval. These contoursdepend somewhat upon the contour of the core to be covered. For thepurpose of illustration, a substantially flat core has been chosen, thusnecessitating a somewhat oval formation of the needle bed [8 in order toposition a desired number of needles 2| about the core.

The needle bed is grooved at 22 adjacent its lower end to receiveprojections of an adjusting ring 23 threadedly receivable in the nut l3and arranged to be moved therein to adjust the position of the needlecarrier relative to its thread supply. The ring 23 may be locked in anysuitably adjusted position bya set screw 24.

Vertically extending grooves 26 are formed at selected spaced positionsin the needle bed and extend at desired angles, as illustrated in Fig.2, and with varying depths as illustrated in Fig. l to receive theneedles 2| and permit reciprocatory movement thereof. These needles maybe of the usual latch type, formed with projections 28 for formingconnections with their respective pistons 29.

The pistons 29, in general, are formed of a resilient material such asneoprene, which serves not only as a definite body capable of performingthe functions of a piston controlled by fluid under pressure but alsohas present therein flexible qualities capable of cushioning the ends ofthe piston strokes and the needle projections 28 removably embeddedtherein to eliminate breaking of the threads and needles caused bysudden stopping of the pistons. To provide means for taking theexpansion load of the pistons 29 sleeves 30, shorter in length than thepistons, are disposed concentric therewith and formed with suit-- ableslots to receive the projections 28. The sleeves 30 may be formed of anysuitable material such as phenolized cambric. The pistons 29 with theirsleeves 30 are reciprocally disposed in spaced apertures or cylinders 3|of a cylinder member 32. The arrangement of the cylinders is shown inFig. 2. Adjacent each cylinder 3|, in the cylinder member 32, arepassageways 34 and 35 extending in angular formation from the top andbottom, respectively, of the cylinder member to the outer wall thereof.Disposed between the cylinder member 32 and the annular portion [5 ofthe sleeve i2 is a disk 31 formed with pairs of apertures, one apertureof each pair being disposed in general alignment with its respectiveHIUHI passageway 35 and the other aperture of each pair being disposedin axial alignment with its respective piston 29 and cylinder 3|. Eachof the pairs of apertures in the disk 31 are connected through groove 40disposed in the upper surface of the annular portion |5, completingcommunication between the cylinders and the passageways 35. A disk 4|similar in structure to the disk 31 but slightly larger in outsidediameter, is also formed with pairs of apertures similarly associatedwith their respective cylinders 3| and passageways 34 and joined bygrooves 42 formed in a head plate 43. The head plate 43 together withthe disk 4| are secured to the cylinder member 32 and provided withcentral apertures of contours to receive the needle bed l8. In a similarmanner the sleeve l2 with its annular flange |5 together with the disk31 are secured to the cylinder member 32, thus forming a stationary unitconsisting of the needle bed l8, the sleeve I2, the cylinder member 32,and all of the other members carried thereby or secured thereto. Thisunit of members of course is connected to the frame l0 and may beremoved therefrom by removing the nut I3.

Disposed concentrically with the annular portion l5, the disk 31 and thecylinder member 32 is a fluid controlling element 50 held againstdisplacement by the disk 4| and mounted for rotary movement upon anannular boss 5| integral with the frame It]. The adjacent surface of theboss 5| and the element 50 are provided with smoothly flnished surfacesto eliminate friction. If desired suitable bearings may be providedbetween these surfaces. A belt receiving portion 52 is integral with theelement 50 to receive a belt 53, from a suitable power means not shown.An annular groove 54 is formed in the lower portion of the element 50and cooperates with a similar groove 55 in a stationary fluid supplyring 56 so that at all times during the rotary movement of the elementthe annular compartment formed by the grooves 54 and 55 will be incommunication with a fluid supply line 51 leading to a suitable supplymeans (not shown). The ring 56 is mounted against movement on the frameIn by suitable means such as screws or the like.

As shown mainly in Fig. 3, attention also being directed to Figs. 1 and2, two rows of spaced grooves are formed, each row consisting of intakegrooves 60 and exhaust grooves 6| alternately positioned. The intakegrooves 60 are of greater length than the exhaust grooves and arepositioned in staggered relation, that is, the intake grooves of one roware in general vertical alignment with the exhaust grooves of the otherrow. Each exhaust groove has disposed in communication therewith anexhaust port 63 which extends through the element and is open to theatmosphere. Each intake groove has a passageway 64 which extends throughthe element to the groove 54 for communication with the fluid supply.The annular rows of grooves are positioned to be moved into registrationwith their respective passageway 34 or 35 during the rotation of theelement.

The means for supplying threads to the needles consists of an annularbracket 10 mounted rigid- 1y upon the element 50 in any suitable mannerand having supports spaced as desired for thread supplies or cops 1|.Extending vertically from and mounted upon the bracket 10 are uprightscenter for the free passage of the core 20 therethrough. Carried by thecross member at its center is a disk 15 centrally apertured andconditioned to removably and adjustably receive thread guides 16, thelower ends of the thread guides being apertured so that the threads maypass therethrough.

During the operation of the apparatus the core 20 is advanced in thedirection of the arrow (Fig. 1) by suitable means (not shown) and at adesired speed, the needle carrier and the other associated partsremaining stationary while the element 50 is rotated to introduce afluid under pressure at predetermined intervals to the cylinders tocause actuation of the pistons, resulting in movement of the needles toknit a covering on the core.

The piston shown in Fig. 1 is in its upper position ready to begin itsdownward movement and thus move the needle associated therewithdownwardly and form a loop in the knitted covering. When in thisposition the fluid under pressure is forced from the tube 51 into thecompartment formed by the recesses 54 and 55, through the passageway 64,the recess 60, the passageway 34, the adjacent aperture in the disk 4|,the groove 42, the aperture in the disk 4| in axial alignment with thepiston, and thus entering the cylinder 3|, causing downward movement ofthe piston. The speed of this downward movement depends upon thepressure of the fluid supply and regardless of the speed of the pistonit will come to a cushioned stop at the end of its stroke due to theresiliency of the piston itself. The pressure of the fluid supply andthe speed of rotation of the element 50 are such that the pistons aremoving continuously at a predetermined high speed excepting at thebeginning and end of each stroke. At the end of each stroke the pistonstrikes one of the disks, yet the portion thereof carrying the needlecontinues to a cushioned stop. The material of the piston at theprojection of each needle further aids in bringing the needle to acushioned stop. The flexed material, at the needle projections and atthe engaged end of each piston when the piston completes its stroke, inassuming its normal unflexed condition starts movement of the needle inthe opposite direction before the piston is brought into associationwith the fluid pressure. This results in an easy ending of one strokeand the beginning of another.

The element 50 may be rotated in either direction but for the purpose ofillustration let it be assumed that it is rotated in a clockwisedirection (Fig. 2). The piston shown in Fig. 1 in moving downwardly hasexhausted the air from the cylinder 3| beneath the piston through thealigned aperture in the disk 31, the groove 40, and the other aperturein the disk 31, the passageway 35, the adjacent exhaust groove SI, andthe exhaust'passageway 53. When this same piston is moved to the nextposition the lower end of the cylinder 3| will be brought intocommunication with an intake groove 60, completing communication betweenthe fluid supply and the cylinder to cause upward movement of the pistonand its associated needle. The fluid in the cylinder above the pistonswill be exhausted to the atmosphere, the upper portion of the pistonhaving been brought into communication with an exhaust groove 5| and anexhaust port 63. This action is continued throughout each cycle for eachpiston and associated needle. Therefore, at intervals during therotation of the element 50, carrying with it the thread supplies,certain of the pistons will be moved in the active or downward stroke toreceive a thread and form a loop in the knitted covering, at which timethe other pistons will be moved upwardly to position their needles fortheir active or downward strokes. Any desired number of needles may beemployed, depending upon the cross sectional area of the core to becovered. Furthermore, any desired number of thread supplies may beemployed, this, however, depending upon the number of pairs of operatingpositions effective in the element 50. It is important that a thread bepositioned for each needle at the beginning of its downward stroke.Therefore, as each needle requires two operating positions to complete aloop one thread supply is provided for each pair of operating positions.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 the general formation of the needlebed, the arrangement of the needles therein, and the central aperturetherethrough is substantially elliptical, and with this structure acovering may be formed on cores having cross sectional contours otherthan that shown, provided, however, that the cores may be passed throughthe central aperture of the needle bed. In other words, this embodimentis capable of forming covers on cores of various shapes within itscapacity. It is obvious from this embodiment that various noncircularcores may be covered, the problem to be considered being the positioningof the needles about the core 30 so as to form a covering wherein thethreads are connected at substantially equally spaced positions aboutthe core.

If other types of cores, for example, the rectangular core 80 shown inFig. 5, are to be covered, the needle carrier, the aperturetherethrough, and arrangement of the needles therein may be of a contoursimilar in general to the core 80. Such an arrangement of the elementsis believed obvious in view of the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 3inclusive and it is not believed necessary to show in detail suchstructure as to set forth this additional embodiment of the invention.

It is apparent from viewing Fig. 1, that by removing the nut l3, acrossmember H and the elements carried thereby, the needles I O, the sleevei2 together with the structure resting upon the annular portion l5 ofthe sleeve including the disk 31, the cylinder member 32 with itspistons and associated needles, the disk I, and the annular member 43may be removed as a unit and another unit of a similar structurediffering only in the general contour of the needle bed, the centralaperture, the arrangement of the needles and their associated pistons,may be inserted in place and secured therein by the same nut 13. Thisconditions the apparatus to apply a knitted covering of a wide varietyof non-circular cores with the use of a small number of removable units.

The number of needles required may vary, depending upon the crosssectional area of the core being covered, and thus varying the number of-wales required. Any desired number of needles Search Boon out departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as pointed out in and limitedonly by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a covering forming apparatus, means to knit a covering on anon-circular core while advancing comprising knitting needles, a threadsupply therefor, means to position the needles in non-circular formationabout the core, and fluid controlled means to actuate the needles.

2. In a covering forming apparatus, a plurality of needles, a stationaryneedle bed therefor apertured for the advancement of a non-circular coretherethrough, a thread supply for the needles, fluid controlled means toactuate the needles to knit a covering on the core, an element tocontrol the fluid, and means to move the element and thread supplyrelative to the needle bed.

3. In a covering forming apparatus, a knitting needle, a thread supplytherefor, and an element to move the needle flexibly connected theretoto cushion movement of the needle.

4. In a covering forming apparatus, knitting needles, a thread supplytherefor, and fluid controlled pistons to impart reciprocatory strokesto the needles and cushion the ends of the strokes.

5. In a covering forming apparatus, knitting needles, a thread supplytherefor, and flexible means to impart reciprocatory strokes to theneedles and cushion the ends of each stroke and the beginning of thenext stroke.

6. In a covering forming apparatus, knitting needles, a thread supplytherefor, flexible fluid controlled pistons to impart reciprocatorystrokes to the needles and cushion the ends of the strokes, and means tolimit expansion of the pistons.

'7. In a covering forming apparatus, knitting needles, a thread supplytherefor, and fluid controlled means to impart reciprocatory strokes tothe needles including flexible pistons connected to the needles.

8. In a covering forming apparatus, knitting needles, a thread supplytherefor, fluid controlled means to impart reciprocatory strokes to theneedles including pistons having rigid cylinder engaging portions andflexible abutting portions, and cylinders for the pistons.

9. In a covering forming apparatus, a fluid controlling element, and aknitting unit removably receivable in the controlling element includingneedles, a needle bed therefor, and means actuated by fluid underpressure controlled by the element to actuate the needles.

10. In a covering forming apparatus, a rotary fluid controlling element,and a knitting unit removably receivable in the controlling elementincluding needles, a needle bed therefor, means actuated by fluid underpressure controlled by the element to actuatethe needles, and means tohold the unit against rotation.

11. In a coveringforming apparatus, a plurality of needles, a needle bedtherefor apertured to receive a non-circular core while advancing, meansto adjustably support the bed and hold it against rotation, a cylindermember with cylinders therein disposed adjacent the needles in the bed,pistons disposed in the cylinders and connected to their respectiveneedles, a controlling element disposed concentric with the cylindermember and rotatable relative thereto to control fluid under pressurefor the actuation of the pistons, means to rotate the controllingelement, and thread supplies for the needles supported for rotarymovement with the controlling element.

12. In a covering forming apparatus, a rotary fluid controlling elementhaving a circular aidal aperture therein, a knitting unit with acircular outer periphery removably receivable in the element and havinga non-circular aperture for the advancement of a non-circular coretherethrough, needles positioned in the unit about the aperture, athread supply for the needles, and means to cause rotation of theelement to cause actuation of the needles to knit a non-circularcovering on the core.

13. In a covering forming apparatus, a rotary fluid controlling elementhaving a circular axial aperture therein, a knitting unit with acircular outer periphery removably receivable in the element and havinga non-circular aperture for the advancement of a non-circular coretherethrough, needles positioned in the unit about the aperture, athread supply for the needles, means to cause rotation of the element tocontrol a fluid under pressure, and means actuated by the fluid underpressure to actuate the needles to knit a non-circular covering on thecore.

14. In a covering forming apparatus, a rotary fluid controlling elementhaving a circular axial aperture therein, a plurality of knitting unitswith circular outer peripheries selectively receivable singly in theelement and having non-circular apertures varying in contour withnon-circular cores arranged to be covered, needles positioned in eachunit in formation conforming to the apertures therein, means toremovably secure one or the knitting units in the element, and means tocause rotation of the element to cause actuation of the needles to knita non-circular covering on a non-circular core.

15. In a covering forming apparatus, a knitting needle having aprojection, a thread supply therefor, and fluid controlled means toimpart reciprocatory strokes to the needle including a flexible pistonapertured to receive the said projection to cushion the needle.

16. In a covering forming apparatus, a knitting needle having aprojection, a thread supply therefor, and fluid controlled means toimpart reciprocatory strokes to the needle including a flexible pistonapertured to receive the said projection to cushion the needle at theprojection and cushion the ends of the strokes thereof.

17. In a covering forming apparatus, means to singly knit coverings onnon-circular cores while advancing comprising knitting needles, a threadsupply therefor, units to support the needles in varying non-circularformation similar to crosssectional contours of cores to be covered,means to support the units singly to form a uniform knitted covering ona core, and means to actuate the needles.

BEN K. FORD.

